By The Tick of The Clock
by LibertyForFreedom455
Summary: She was told it was just a myth. Though, when the story was passed onto her, she never knew how real it could get. When the clock stroke twelve, everyone knew he was looking for her. She was the only one who could save him from the curse and he wasn't going to let her get away so easily. Nutcracker Dark, Enjoy! Rewrite.
1. Prologue and Chapter One

**I decided to rewrite this story. You see I just couldn't to write with the chapter or prologue I wrote before. I couldn't really work with it. Even if I tried to write the very first chapter, it just didn't sound right. Also, I decided to make this a story filled with more magic and a much larger plot then the original Nutcracker story. I like this version a lot better since I'm getting in more detail how the kingdom is and how more characters will play around in this world. I'm going to go slow with this story, and each Chapter will have 2 parts in it. The first part is the prologue and the second part is the first chapter. **

** I loved all your reviews for the first chapter, and I hope you read this one and liked it as much as the old one. Maybe this will turn out better then the first one I had, plus I planned this out more. **

** Some songs to listen to while reading: **_**Dance of the Snowflakes, Winter-First movement by Vivaldi, including the first movement of Autumn by the same composer, this goes to the first chapter. **_**I do not own these songs. **

**I do not own Naruto or The Nutcracker story. **

** Thank you and enjoy!**

* * *

By the Tick of the Clock

_Prologue_

_The land was covered in layers of snow, like powder, sweet as frosting. Sugar fell to the ground like snowflakes, and it was never cold. The trees smelled of peppermint and the bark made of dark chocolate, smooth and cream like. The mountains that surrounded the land allowed fresh water to flow down the rivers and into the lakes of starlight. Towns were made of gingerbread, with candy doors and matching windows. The people that lived there were even sweeter, their hearts filled with joy and wonder, for they never hate and always shared. Life was peaceful and nobody was ever unhappy. _

_ The heart of all of this was the town of Lockshire, the trading capital in the Kingdom of Sweets. The marble castle lied directly in the center of town, towers built up to touch the sky, and it shinned so brightly people called it the second sun. _

_ The King ruled rightfully, never doubting himself, full of pride. He was kind, and considerate when it was needed, but his Queen was one of the most significant people in his life. His love, his other half, the part he needed. She brought him light when he needed it, when he couldn't rule rightfully, when he doubted himself, and when his pride got the best of him. _

_ His joy also came from his children. His eldest being his only daughter, a bright young girl with blonde hair, but lighter then her mothers. She was strong and even at her young age always had a sense of direction. However, her younger brother, the second child, was messy in a way. His brown hair matched his fathers, but was more scrunched up and all over the place. He was artistic in many ways, but made messes with each cut into the wood he carved, a hobby he adopted when he discovered puppet work. _

_ The youngest of the children, was a young prince. Born on the day of the winter's solstice. He carried something with him. The King and Queen were happy to have another son, for he was different. Maybe it was good or bad, but old women of the royal family would say, "how remarkable, I can tell he will be a significant ruler one day."_

_ "But will have to face many challenges on the way to such greatness." _

_ Such words weren't uncommon. Some say that words spoke louder then actions, or is it the other way around? No matter, the people of Lockshire only cared about the things that needed to be cared about. Simple was respectable, complicated matters were to be worried and taken seriously. Words of wisdom and magic for example brought people to believe that destiny was a factor in their lives. The little prince was no doubt on his journey to eminence, but the King and Queen thought the challenges would be simple. No parent would want difficult tasks for their child to fulfill their destiny._

_ Though fate had a different idea._

* * *

Stories and tales have captured the many hearts of children's fantasies and desires. Especially the young daughter of a respected man in the town of Harrison; this small town held a small population of common folk, and reasonably nice people.

The young daughter of the respected man sits on her bed, waiting for her mother to come up and say good night to her with a small kiss on the forehead or cheek, a repeating tradition that she kept dear to her. Usually before she goes to bed, a short story is told, maybe about a king, or a princess being kidnapped and the prince has to recue her. Then sometimes a story is told of the heroine rescuing the prince, but those were usually rare. There weren't many tales about girls being the hero, especially in these times.

The door opened, a women walked in, and looked at her daughter. Elizabeth smiled, amused that her daughter was waiting for her.

"Sakura, don't tell me you were waiting long."

Sakura's pudgy cheeks glowed red, and her small fingers rubbed the pink sheets beneath her. She was embarrassed but anxious.

"I want to hear another story, mommy," she replied, her voice almost small as a whisper. She moved farther up the bed and sat against one of her pillows, leaving room for her mom to sit down next to her. Her mother never used a storybook and always used what she had from memory.

"Alright, Sakura," she answered, and with her tone, Sakura knew she won, "I got a… different type of story to tell you tonight. One that I've known since I was a young girl. Around your age."

"Is it about a prince and a princess?" Sakura asked.

Elizabeth laughed, "no, not this time. This is a type of story called a myth. Myth's are said to be true, but don't have any real evidence to prove it."

Sakura's eyes widened, "so it's almost a true story?"

"Not exactly, but I believe the… moral behind it will help you later in life."

Sakura wasn't sure what the word 'moral' meant, but she was too focused on hearing the story. Elizabeth however hoped that Sakura understood the meaning behind it.

"It begins with a prince…a boy…"

* * *

_ "Your Highness!"_

_ A voice echoed around the trees. The fog cleared up and left a light haze, there was little wind, but it was cool. It smells of vanilla with a hint of cocoa that left a warm feeling in your heart. _

_ "Your Highness!"_

_ The frantic voice repeated and there is still no reply. _

_ "Your Highness, where are you!"_

_ The only sound heard was of chirping birds and animals hiding in the shadows. The thick forest made a good cover, and behind one of these trees is a young boy. _

_ An old maiden, a servant for the royal family, was searching for young prince. She allowed him ten minutes maximum to run around and enjoy himself, but she was also given orders to not allow him out of her sight. She was sweating in her thick purple gown, her shoes were covered in mud, and grass stains covered her tights. The old maiden was exhausted and in distress. _

_ "Please, your Highness. Come out of the trees, your mother will want you back soon! And my head if you don't return," she whispered the last part to herself, and hopped over a rock, then slipping to the ground, groaning from the fall. Her knees weren't as good as they used to be, when she was younger, she was actually a very good runner. Now she had no energy in her old age. _

_ She was very nervous about the prince's well being, for he was no older then five years of age. He was young, but such a troublemaker, even tougher then the second prince, and brighter then the princess. _

_ "Your Highness-" _

_ "Over here, Margret, now stop yelling!"_

_ The older maiden stepped back in surprise and quickly turned around to face the young prince. His unnatural red hair was ruffled and messy, and his clothes were covered in spots of mud. He was panting heavily and his eyes were bursting with adrenaline. _

_ "Please, sire, it's been at least fifteen minutes, it would be best to return to the palace. It's dangerous out here." However, the boy did not listen, and shook his head vigorously, then running in the opposite direction._

_ "Your Highness!" She called out, but it was no use. The prince was gone. _

_ "Oh!" Margret looked around, searching with her weak eyes, seeing if she could catch a glimpse of red somewhere. There was no sign of him though, and she knew it would take a lot to get through that boys stubbornness. _

_ A scream echoed across the forest. Margret's heart stopped and she held her breath, the prince! She forced her legs to move, sprinting over rocks and through the thick fog. _

_ In the middle of an open area lied the prince, crying and groaning of pain. She immediately ran over, turning him to face her._

_ "Mommy, I want my mommy," he cried. Tears poured down his face, his cheeks were red, his nose was rosy with snot, and his arm…his arm was not normal, twisted in a mangle way. The prince's face was in pain, he couldn't stop crying, and he couldn't move his left arm. _

_ "My prince, we need to move you and get you back to castle. Now." She was trying her best to stay calm, but this was terrible. In the Land of Sweets, in the Kingdom of Sweets, of the People of Sweets, it was ever rare for someone to be in pain. Everyone was supposed to be happy, joyful, and sweet in everyway. The Royals who ruled the kingdom were to be looked up to and now that the youngest of them if hurt, Margret could be facing terrible consequences. She also knew it. _

_ The penalty of causing pain to anyone in the Kingdom of Sweets faces certain death._

* * *

"Mother! Margret can't be killed! She didn't do anything!" Sakura protested against her mother's words, interrupting the story. Elizabeth shook her head.

"Sweetie, I haven't finished yet, there is more to this story then Margret."

"Then what happens to her, does she die?" Sakura asked.

Elizabeth shook her head. "Well," she started, "once they got back to the palace, Margret explained herself to the Queen, who was very worried when she saw her youngest son in pain. See, pain was one emotion the Queen couldn't stand. Especially pain in the heart and can take the longest time to heal. Margret said she took full responsibility for not looking after the prince, and already knew what her punishment was."

"But Mom-" Sakura cut in.

"Now Sakura, if you keep interrupting me, I won't finish the story," Sakura's mother stated, and gave her daughter a cold stare.

Sakura looked down with embarrassment, "Sorry. Can you please continue?"

* * *

Elizabeth carried on, "you see, the Queen was not upset at the old maiden, she more upset with her son, for he caused himself his own pain. The young boy was foolish enough to climb into a tree and fall down, so Margret had nothing to do with it. She was just doing her best to protect the prince."

_Margret bowed her head down low, and shed a few tears. "My Queen, I'm so sorry. It is my fault for not watching your son well enough. Please forgive me, and I will accept any punishment you give me."_

_ The Queen stared deeply at the old woman, who was now crying silently. The Queen, Karura, was uncertain what to do. Her youngest son, now in the medical center located inside the palace, broke his left arm. She was worried sick when they told her how bad it was, but she couldn't find the will to be mad at the old woman. _

_ "Tell me, Margret," Karura asked, "did he run away from you?" _

_ Margret, startled by the question, was expecting much worst. "Yes, but I tried to keep up with him!"_

_ The Queen smiled a bit, she knew how the maiden couldn't keep up with her son. He was always quick on his feet, and never seem to run out of energy. _

_ "It's all right, Margret, you did nothing wrong."_

_ "B-But my Queen, you can't-"_

_ Karura shook her head, and smiled. "My son was being a child, and made a mistake from which he will learn. Sadly, his arm might never heal fully, but I do not blame you for loosing him in the forest. Last week you did promise him that you would take him to play, and it was his mistake to fall from the tree."_

_ "My Queen, I will never disappoint you again. T-Thank you."_

* * *

"Mother, I didn't like that story. What was the point in learning about a prince hurting one of his arms?" Sakura asked she was disappointed. Usually the stories had a conflict the main character had to get through, with a villain. Now, it seemed so realistic to the four year old.

Elizabeth shook her head. Her daughter always wanted more, but what young girl didn't want a real happy ending to a story. Sadly, things weren't all like that in the real world.

One day Sakura would be a young Lady, lifting delicate fingers to grasp a cup of tea, back straight, and never acting less then what society expects of her. Sakura might not like growing up, dealing with feelings and arrange marriages, but she will learn to enjoy it… hopefully.

"Well, I haven't told you what that arm will do to affect the Prince. You see, that arm is going to be hard to deal with, he won't be able to move it around as well as he used too," Elizabeth said.

Sakura pondered, "So like, he can't fight n stuff?"

Elizabeth nodded, "That's one thing, but… I will get more into that."

"This is the story how the Kingdom of Sweets fell into the hands of the evil Mouse Queen, and how the Nutcracker rose from the ashes to spend eternity banished from his kingdom."

* * *

_It snowed that night, snowflakes stuck to the windows, and the flowers disappeared into the ground, while the villagers were out celebrating. It was the first day of winter, and it meant the end of the changing seasons, until spring came again._

_ There was a party taking place at the Castle, like every year, a tradition to the Gods to allow spring to come again. They respected each season, but spring was everyone's favorite. The Sugar Plum Fairy was said to come every year during the season of spring and purify the lands of any evil that spawn from there. _

_ That very night, the young prince was dancing with his siblings, celebrating. Ever since the accident in the woods, his arm has not been the same. It was hard to move, and even harder to yield a sword. Yet, he was eager to learn, even at his young age. _

_ The Queen and King sat majestically on their thrones, a strange, yet strong magic aura surrounded them, making them glow. A hue of yellow, and lanterns of blue fire gave light to the room. _

_ Nights like these were magical. People were dancing so elegantly, forgetting the worries of the outside world. Even the King seemed relaxed, which was rare because he was always on his guard. He knew this was a night of peace, so he had nothing to worry about. His wife sitting besides him had a way of knowing if he was distressed or not. She gripped his hand and gave him a gently smile and he couldn't help but smile back. He eased her hand to his mouth and kissed it gently, and they both smiled wider. _

_ Then suddenly, a wall crumbled down, causing a cry of fear and all music came to a halt. The lights became dim, almost black, and a sense of evil filled the room. The King quickly rose up from his seat and grabbed his sword by his side. The Queen also rose up and on instinct she went to her children, and pulled them behind her. _

_ When the cloud of dust cleared away, everyone made a semicircle around the scene. They were whispering, and even a few screams escape some of the girls. _

_ A dark figure arose from the mess, and then it became clearer. _

_ "Mouse Queen," The King snarled. One would think the Mouse Queen would be covered in fur, with a large nose, and big ears, with wicked eyes. However, the Queen was a young woman, with a triangle nose, whiskers that popped out, and dark shaded eyes. Her hair was black ad midnight, and her skin was pale as snow. She had a slim figure, which allowed the deep purple gown to fit perfectly on her, except the long fur coat covered her body almost completely, like she was trying to hide behind it. She used to be very beautiful, but her personality was horrid, and matched her wicked heart. _

_ "My King, it's been a while, has it not?"_

_ The King growled, and Karura stood on her guard to protect the children. Her oldest son was shaking and her daughter was standing in curiosity, but the young prince was standing fearlessly, with a glare on his face matching his fathers. _

_ "What do you want? Can't you see this a peaceful gathering?" The King snarled. _

_ "Well, I can see that, but why wasn't I invited?" The Mouse Queen demanded, catching the King off guard. _

_ "B-Because you are exiled from the Land of Sweets!" He protested. _

_ "I had a unfair trial!" _

_ The Mouse Queen was getting rather angry, but she faked a smile and walked deeper into the room. People took a step back when the Mouse Queen got closer, radiating fear. Fear was not welcoming in the Kingdom of Sweets, and it was just horrifying to the people. _

_ "A unfair trial? You…" the words were too hard to even speak aloud, the King was even sweating, "You… Murdered innocent people for your own greedy needs!" _

_ The Mouse Queen snarled and got directly in front of the King. "I was cursed by your hands, your highness," she mocked. "Now, I come to get my revenge, but there is someone I would like you to meet." She smiled and looked towards the entrance of the huge, destroyed hole in the wall. Everyone turned his or her eyes to it, only to see another shadow. _

_ "I would like to introduce my son, the real heir to the throne!" She yelled. People gasped in shock and the King back away. _

_ "That's madness!" The King protested. _

_ A boy, the same age as the young prince walked into the room. His hair was short, and dark as his mothers. His skin was pale, but he looked more human than she did. Though, his eyes gleamed with mischief and hatred. A smirk stretched across his face. _

_ "Now, I will take the what is rightfully mine!" The Mouse Queen's magic surrounded the room. A dark smoke suffocated the quests, then turning them into stone. Their faces were covered in an appalling feature. _

_ The Queen that was protecting her three children, also suffocated. The King saw, and could only stare, then shouted, "NO!" It was too late for the Queen for she turned into rock. Her eyes didn't have the light as they used too. The King was lost without her, now he couldn't rule rightfully, now he doubted himself, and now his pride got the best of him. His children were crying, and he sent a small apology towards the sky, before the cloud of smoke covered him as well. The children were left on their own. _

_ The Mouse Queen focused her attention towards the crying children. _

_ An idea popped into her head. She looked at the young prince, and grinned. "Don't cry, my child. Everything will be alright." She said soothingly. The young prince looked up at her, his tears were pouring down his face, and made the evil queen smirk._

_ "But I could be lying and that it will be alright for me."_

_ With those words, she sent her magic to cover the prince, who screamed in protest to get away from the evil magic. _

_ The Kingdom became dark. The wind blew hard, and the trees crumbled into the ground. The snow spread, not bringing cheer or joy anymore, instead it covered the entire land. The stars in the sky disappeared, leaving it blank, only for storm clouds to cover it with lighting. The villagers were taken away into new towns, with nothing but small bits of food to be found. Soon, the people started to fight each other to survive. _

_ The Kingdom of Sweets fell, leaving a prince exiled, only to have his two siblings travel along with him to distant lands, to never be able to look back at their old home. A strange mark was now scarred on the young prince's head, and he hated his new appearance, for he was cursed, and had to hide his face during the daytime. _

_ One day, he thought to himself, I will be back._

* * *

"The end," Elizabeth said. She had grown tired and she wanted to end it short and sweet. Even though it was a short statement for such an intense story, but it was how all stories' ended. However, it wasn't just any story.

"The end?" Sakura gaped, "But what happens to the prince?"

"Didn't you hear me, he was exiled, meaning he was forever locked out of his kingdom. He could not return, and he was put under a curse."

"To… look like a nutcracker?" Sakura guessed. She imagined the prince looking like a nutcracker that she would see every Christmas. She flinched; she could not see him as being as… hideous as those things.

Elizabeth slowly got up and kissed her daughter on the forehead.

"Alright, the story is over, it's your bedtime now."

"But mother… I'm not that tired. " Sakura yawned. The mother smiled and tucked her daughter in. "Maybe I'll tell you another tale tomorrow."

"One about the prince, I want to know what happens next." Sakura said.

"Alright," Elizabeth sighed, "Goodnight, my little sugar plum."

The night sky above the town cleared away, and the stars shinned. From another world, a prince was listening, and even smiled a bit. The story must continue, for it wasn't finished.

End of Prologue

* * *

_Chapter One_

It was the middle of fall; the trees were shedding their leaves and creating a perfect playground for the kids. Sakura's little brother, John, was throwing himself in a pile of colorful leaves, leaving Sakura up to the job to find him. Her hair had grown a darker shade of pink, like her mothers, since she aged two years. Still not as graceful, but she was starting to act more like a lady, but she was still young.

Today marks October 13th, John's birthday. He was two years younger then his sister, but he always asked Sakura to play with him.

His hair was a light brown, like his fathers, but had green eyes like his mother's. His was more of a mix, unlike Sakura who was almost identical like her mother. She had pale, creamy skin, no freckles, and bright, emerald green eyes.

"John! Sakura!" A voice called out. The two children turned around.

Elizabeth walked towards them. She would have run, but there were other guests here, and she didn't want to give them the wrong idea. A lady was supposed to act like a lady.

"Mother, John isn't playing fair. Every time it's his turn to count, he peeks and sees where I am hiding!" Sakura complained. John pouted, then quickly fought back.

"I do not! You're just upset because I can find you faster!"

"Children, let's not be hasty who to blame," Elizabeth said smoothly, calming her kids, "now, everyone is ready to serve the cake! John, why don't you run over so you can blow out the candles," she smiled, and watched as her son's face lit up and sprinted to the table. Elizabeth looked to her daughter who was just about to follow John, but Elizabeth stopped her.

"Sakura, what have I said about young ladies running?"

Sakura halted, and sighed, "I'm not suppose to run. Can I go now?"

"Sweetie, your covered in leaves. You even ripped a hole in your tights!" She explained, and gave her daughter a long stare. Sakura, who wanted to join her brother, apologized. Elizabeth sighed, and let her go, but was still upset.

"Your daughter has quiet the character."

Elizabeth was surprised and turned around. "Tsunade. Your surprised me. How are you?"

"I am sorry for sneaking up on you. I'm doing fine, the weather in the fall always makes excellent party's."

"I agree the color of the trees makes the town look brighter."

"How about we take a walk," Tsunade suggested, "It would give us time to catch up with each other."

"Of course," Elizabeth agreed, and the two of them, dressed in soft, cotton evening dresses, with solid colors that match the theme of autumn. Their black heels clicked on the stone path, leading to a simple garden, with roses and sunflowers that were still in bloom.

"I've heard that Sakura is the top in her class. She goes to Harrison's Christians School for girls?" Tsunade asked, but she already knew the answer, every girl goes there. For good teaching of faith in God and also classes to teach girls to become proper ladies, it's the best all girls school in the region.

"Yes, she loves learning. She also has made plenty of friends, we invite them for tea after church on Sundays."

"Really? Sakura never seemed to like tea," Tsunade noted.

"I usually try to persuade Sakura to drink it, she's grown into it, but she still prefers lemonade." The sweet drink that came from squeezed lemons was a little new delicacy in town. Some say it came from Egypt, but Europeans apparently sweetened it with sugar. She couldn't decide which story was true, but she enjoyed the drink once in a while.

Tsunade laughed, "Sakura will surely be the sore eye to the boys when she's older. She almost looks like you when you were her age. For someone so young, she seems to understand so much in the world."

The two walked in silence, only listening to the bird's sing, and also children playing in the distance. Children were blithe, only caring about what to do next. However, the grownups took pride in the happiness of their children. A happy childhood meant a fortunate adulthood.

Tsunade was the one, who controlled the town's meetings, ever since her husband passed away, and even controlled the all women's meetings at her mansion. It was placed on the top of the hill looking over the ocean and town. She made sure new citizens were welcomed and placed accordingly to their status. There weren't to many low class citizens, no one scavenged for food, ever.

"I love the trees in the fall, but I always look forward to winter, Christmas is my favorite holiday," Elizabeth said. It was also her favorite time of the year; she loved the fresh, powdery snow on the ground, with a Christmas tree being set up in the living room. It was perfection to her.

"I must say that the snow is a hassle, but when everyone gets together, it warms my heart when I know everyone is enjoying the holiday season."

Tsunade stopped for a moment, turning towards her walking partner. "I have a important errand that needs to be tend to, thank you for inviting me to John's birthday, he'll grown into a fine young man someday. I wish you a happy evening."

Tsunade walked out of the garden, leaving Elizabeth alone to her thoughts. She felt joyous for some reason, but she liked the feeling.

* * *

That night, Sakura was waiting on the bed again. Waiting for that story, and a kiss, the repeating tradition that took place every night. She dressed in a cotton nightgown, with little pink bows that were sewed on the side. She never put on socks, but she regretted not putting them on every time she stepped on the cold, wooden floor.

The door opened and Elizabeth stepped in, closing the door firmly, like she was keeping anything from coming inside.

She went to the bed and sat right next to her daughter.

"What will it be this time, you pick," she said.

"I want to hear… well… remember that story you told me a long time ago. The one where the prince was exiled and he couldn't return to his home?" Sakura asked. Elizabeth knew exactly what story she talking about.

"That again… what more is needed to be said? I finished it."

"No you didn't! What is he doing right now?"

"W-Who knows. Sakura, you only want to hear about the lost prince?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yes… please."

Elizabeth looked at the old clock on the dresser table. It red eight thirty six, so she had a little less then a half hour for Sakura to go to bed. She then remembered something important.

"Sakura, there is one thing I left out during the story."

Sakura then looked excited, "what is it?"

"It's about a fairy… a fairy that could break the prince's curse once and for all. It's a myth, and even the town of Sweets had a hard time believing in it. They said it was foolish for people to go and look for her, but some truly did believe. The prince had no chose but to go and look for her, he wanted to get rid of the curse."

"But why come no one believed in her?" Sakura asked, already drawn into the tale. Her mother could tell because her eyes would go wide and her mouth would be open just a smidge.

"The Sugar Plum fairy was supposedly on a island, with the snow fairy's and flower fairy's. The island itself was green, with clear blue skies, and beaches of sand that smelled of warm vanilla sugar."

"I wish I lived in the land of Sweets, then I could rub it in John's face about how I got to eat frosting flavored snow, and dark chocolate off of trees. And to see stars reflect of the lakes." Sakura said.

Elizabeth laughed, and smiled at her daughter. The mind of child was extraordinary imaginative.

"Mommy, how did you hear these stories?" Sakura asked.

"I heard of them when I was your age, when my mother told me about them. You know, your grandmother was a little crazy, especially when she got older. She would keep telling me that 'I was the one' or 'you will save the prince one day'. She got in a lot of trouble when she attacked another mother when they told her she was crazy. Thankfully, I was able to get her somewhere safe."

"I never met grandmother, dad said she saw me when I was baby. Is that true?"

"Yes, she did. She would keep mumbling things about you, but it wasn't long until she sent away. A place where she could get help." Elizabeth explained, hoping her daughter wouldn't ask exactly where it was. It was an institution for the mentally insane, and even Elizabeth felt bad for sending her there.

"When she said, 'you are the one,' did she think you would save the prince from his curse?" Asked Sakura.

"I think she really did. Though, I never believed it. The Land of Sweets is just a make believe place, kind of like Never land, with Peter Pan. The nutcracker prince is just a myth as well, forever going on as one. No one can really prove a myth without any evidence to support it." Elizabeth said. She looked at the clock again, It red eight fifty seven.

"I know tonight was short, but I will tell you another story tomorrow." Elizabeth got up and kissed her daughter on the cheek, then leaving the room. Before that, she looked at her daughter again. Sakura moved over and turned off the light, then made her way into her covers.

"Goodnight, little fairy, sleep tight."

"Don't let the bed bugs bite," Sakura finished and giggled. Elizabeth smiled again and made her way out.

...

In another land, the prince stood along the rock. He stared deeply into the sky, where there used to be millions of stars looking down on him, but now there was nothing. He heard his name again, like a echo, and he shook his head. It was nothing but his imagination.

* * *

**Thanks for reading this new prologue and chapter. I like this version a lot more now since I am able to see where the plot is going and how I'm going to shape it. I would also like to know which one you guys like better, besides, I might even make some changes to this chapter.**

** I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and if you could, please leave a review, so I can read what's on your mind. I know you guys have been waiting a long time for this story, and it's been over a year since I updated it. I made this one a lot longer because I wanted to expand and detail my story, so it flowed more and you even got more to read then the small prologue I made last night.**

** A couple things, I made Sakura's mom different then what the Naruto Universe made her. I hope you guys are okay with that; I just wanted to do that because I ended up writing her that way. **

** With the prince's arm, (Gaara), I know some point when the story progresses, were going to see how he deals with his arm that isn't fully healed. Besides, it adds some character to him. Also, I will mention his siblings as well, hopefully you know who they are. They will be significant in this story, because they travel with him as he goes on his journey. **

** I never mentioned his name because he hasn't introduced himself to Sakura yet, and I will get there soon. It might be slow since I am taking my time with this story. I am very exciting for getting more into the story, so I'm sorry if the first couple of parts seem boring. It will get better, once I get to it. She will be much older, in her teens by the time she meets him. **

** I will probably add some more thoughts of the prince as the story progresses since he is still looking for the Sugar Plum Fairy. Supposedly its suppose to be the Sugar Plum Princess, but maybe I'll change it later or make a scene in the future where they made a mistake in her name. Who knows?**

** Thank again and can't wait to write more of this in the future! **


	2. Chapter Two and Chapter Three

** Hello readers! I really appreciate all your reviews, and I was really glad to have the time to write some more. **

** I usually try to plan out a chapter before I start writing it, but then again, the chapter always ends up differently from the one I planned out. Oh well, maybe it's better this way.**

** Thanks again for the reviews, and I dedicate this chapter to those people! **

** Enjoy!**

* * *

By The Tick of the Clock

_Chapter Two_

She hated it.

She hated the strange, yet formal way of saying hello. Oh, good evening to you too.

She hated the clothes, so soft, yet so tight that it is hard to even breathe. It's the new style they all said, though is necessary to sacrifice breathing?

She hated the way she had to put her hand over her mouth to cover up her giggle, like that does much. Why can't she laugh normally? No, it's not proper they all say.

She hated the way she had to act like a lady, proper, formal, beautiful, a delicate young woman who had to follow all the rules. To never ask questions about society, about why things are the way they are.

Sakura was just tired of it all. She wish she could back to her books and get lost in a world she could only read from stories. Her mother had stopped telling her stories years ago, and now she was twelve. Twelve years meant six more years until she was an adult. It was like her mother was looking forward to it while Sakura was dreading it. She changed after all the years; her hair was long and thick, green eyes still blazing with youth and curiosity. She almost looked liker her mother, an exact replica, a clone. She never cared about beauty though; she always could find flaws within her.

Sakura would sometimes think it would be wonderful if Peter Pan would take her away and she could be a child forever, and never have to deal with adults again. She still believed in things that others might think were silly, but she grown up with myths, and old tales from medieval days.

Even at this moment, she was leaning her left cheek on her left hand, gazing off into her own world. She was sitting through another boring lecture her teacher, Shizune, was giving to the class. Some of the girls looked very interested, while some tried to pay attention, but who wants to listen about history? It's not even the good kind.

"Sakura," Shizune called out. Sakura jumped out of her thoughts and stared at her teacher with a blank face.

"Sakura?" Shizune said again, "What is significant about this time period?"

Sakura, surprised, felt a little sick in her stomach. She knew why she was called out; she was the one who looked like she wasn't paying attention. Everyone turned their eyes on her, some girls were even giggling. Karin, the girl who sat in the back with her click, was giggling madly.

She turned her attention to the board, where a map was drawn out of Europe. It showed different countries in red and blue, with arrows drawn over to North America, and she could guess easily what was going on.

"It's significant because it shows how Europe's population migrated towards the New World, known as America. In Ireland it was a large amount because of a poisoning in their food supply, and they needed to find a better place to start anew." She answered swiftly, like she knew it from the top of her head. Sakura remembered reading about how people would go to America to escape to a better place.

"V-Very good Sakura, however, please try to look interested in my class," Caught red-handed, Sakura turned pink and the rest of the girls giggled. Ino, who was sitting right behind her, tapped on her back.

"Don't worry, Sakura, everyone knows you're the brightest in our class," she said.

"Thanks, Ino." Sakura replied in a whisper, but she still felt embarrass from being put on the spotlight. She hated the attention, and she felt worst when the other girls made fun of her.

There were times when she would be picked on, mostly for her weird hair color that didn't match right with her eyes, and also… her large, annoying forehead. She was constantly trying to cover it up with bangs, but Ino would keep telling her she looked best without bangs. Now she kept most of it tied back with a red hair ribbon she got from Ino.

The rest of the day went on how it usually went. Snacks of simple pastries were delivered on a thin, china plate. Lunch was made around noon, with sandwiches small as a palm, and tea that made the room smell of honey and a tint of mango. Everyone would pull out a chair, carefully sliding into it, and not to wrinkle their school uniform.

The uniform was simple, a deep red skirt, with a ruffled, long white shirt that had matching color red bows in the front. Snow white tights, and black shoes that would squeeze uncomfortably at the tip where the toes were crowded.

Sakura and Ino ended up sitting in the back tables, away from the rest of the girls. They knew they didn't fit in that well, even though they grew up with them all. Everyone has known each other for years, since their parents were most likely friends or acquainted with each other.

"Sakura, you seem out of it," Ino said, noticing Sakura's strange behavior. Sakura was again staring off into space, chewing slowly on her food, but her eyes seemed sad. The familiar glint in them seem gone, and now they were darker than usual.

"It's nothing," Sakura said, picking at her uneaten salad. Ino wasn't buying it, and her face puckered up, like she eaten something sour. It wasn't the lemon cake, that's for sure.

"Sure. Now tell me whats up," the blonde demanded, giving her friend a hard, long glare.

Sakura sighed in defeat; "my mother doesn't talk to me much anymore. If she does, it has something to do with a party she's going too, or when she patronizes me about everything I do wrong."

Ino nodded in understanding. She knew how Sakura's life at home went, and vise versa. "I never see my father, he's too busy with his job, and well my mother, she's usually with her friends," Ino added, to show Sakura that she understood.

Sakura stamped her hand on the table, "I never want to be like my parents, if I had kids, I wouldn't force them to be something they don't want to be."

Ino, alarmed, looked at her friend with distaste, "Look, if we want to survive in this world, were going to have to follow its rules. That means listening to our parents lectures or speeches on how we should live our lives. Were girls, we don't have power here like guys do. It's been like this since… since, uh, for a long time!"

Sakura wasn't listening though, "I know that, but why can't we change things?"

Ino sighed, "It just doesn't work that way. You know our home room teachers, Shizune? The only reason why she's able to teach is because she's extremely religious and close enough to Tsunade, who runs this town from all angles."

"Tsunade is a woman though, I thought men had all the power," Sakura shot back, proving a point.

Ino gave up, she let Sakura win, "I'm going to pretend we never had this conversation."

The bell rung loudly through the room and all the girls got up to get back to class. Everyone placed their plates and silverware in the same tub, while the attendants cleaned out all of what was left of lunch.

When Sakura walked into the hall, she could smell a deep smell of some detergent that made her nose wrinkle. She could also see puddles of water spread across the floor from what was left of cleaning. All was quiet, with the small clicking of heels hitting the floor, until a girl slipped.

Everyone from the front turned her heads towards the small cry of surprise. It was Hinata, the quiet girl who never uttered a word, and if she did, her stuttering problem made it hard for her.

Karin, who was leading her group down the hall, started laughing. "Look everyone, the nobody actually said something, not like anyone actually heard anything."

Sakura took defense immediately, "back off, the only reason why we didn't hear anything because your obnoxious, ugly laugh blocked all the sound." Some of the girls gasped in surprised, and Karin growled back.

"Back off, forehead," Karin stumbled, 'or I will…"

Sakura smirked, "it's seem like you're a lost to words. Now scram before I make you!"

Karin and her clique backed off, but Karin wanted to make sure she had the last word.

"I'm telling on you! You'll regret this billboard brow!"

Sakura huffed and turned back towards the sniffling girl on the ground. Hinata's hair was short, almost as short as a boy, but it curved into her face making her look feminine. Where her knees bent on the ground the skirt had absorbed water, and the skirt was turning a darker red. Her face was covered by her hair, and also by the shadows of the hall.

Sakura moved towards the crying girl, and gave her hand, "Here, let's get you to the bathrooms. We can find an extra uniform and get you cleaned up," Sakura said in a smooth tone. She knew she scared most of the girls away earlier with her argument with Karin, but Ino was still there.

Ino also moved towards Hinata, and a look of pity came upon her face.

Hinata looked up from her thick black hair and looked at Sakura's stretched hand. She sniffed loudly and un-lady like but Hinata at this point didn't care. However, she didn't take the hand.

Sakura eyes widened when the shy girl got up quickly and ran down the opposite way. Sakura's outstretched hand closed slowly and Sakura wasn't sure what to think at that moment.

"What was up with her?" Ino asked, obviously bothered about how rude Hinata was.

"I have no idea," Sakura replied. She and Ino started to walk back the way they were suppose to be heading, but Sakura was bothered by the way Hinata ran off like that. Was something bothering the girl? She heard rumors about her family, but that doesn't explain why she wouldn't accept a little help.

…

_ A snow fairy has to be strong. No feelings, but only to feel the bitter cold they live in._

_ …_

She shook her head and followed her blonde companion back to the classroom.

The day passed by slowly, the clock moved gradually as Sakura concentrated on it. Leaves of yellow and orange passed down by the window, as the wind gently continued to blow at the trees. It was like it pressuring the trees to give it up and just accept the fact that winter was drawing near.

* * *

_The wind patterns never change now. They are forever heading north where it continues to get colder._

_ The sun was gone; it disappeared and hid among the dark clouds. _

_ The plants died…. The peppermint smell was gone… it continues to smell like ash from the burning. There is a warm heat coming from the kingdom, but no one knows what it is. _

_ A blazing orange light glowed from the distance, one could barely see through the thick gray smog. The ash continues to rise up in the air, and the burning fires bring no joy to the people. The people are so lost… no leader; the evil queen crushed all hope and happiness that use to fill every part of the kingdom._

_ The ashes covered everything; the burning of coal and trees bring no warmth to the now Iceland. _

_ Though, there are some creatures that enjoy the cold… winter fairies… they use to live up north where it was the coldest, but they seemed to have travel down to live in the crispy weather. They are not kind… they are not cruel… they have no emotions. _

_ Forever being part of a group of flying creatures that travel together but rarely gets along. A conflict that has lasted an eternity still affects them all, bitter words with bitter hearts._

_ There are tales based on these fairies, one fairy in particular was different from the rest of the winter fairies. She looked like the others, pale, small, fragile. She wore a white, winter gown that glowed blue, almost like a corpse. Her hair was long, black as night, and lips cold as winter's day. However, She was kind… she thought of others… and she danced. She could dance for days, feeling the snowflakes through her hands, and bending it into beautiful patterns. _

_ However, she had to keep this a secret. The others forbidden any acts such as dancing, for the fairies were unemotional, and such acts described emotions. _

_ The young fairy knew what she was risking but she couldn't stop it. She felt free of the disciplined life she grew up in. So she continued to dance in caves filled with ice, allowing herself the freedom one could only dream of. _

_ One day… another fairy found out about this girls secret. This fairy quickly told the others, and when the young fairy came out of the cave, that's when she got into serious beginnings. _

_ They decided the only way for her to stop her acts…. Was to break her. They spent days beating at the poor girl, they tore her wings, they cut her hair, and spread bruises on her pale skin. It went on for five days… by then the girl got her lesson, to never be different, and to never act with emotion. _

_ They left her buried in the snow. She was dying from starvation and broken limbs. She couldn't fly. She was left to the will of nature. _

_ She couldn't move and she knew that her fate was sealed… to die in the snow. She lost hope. The bitter cold that she was used too was now killing her. _

_ That's when she saw a bright light. Warmth filled her inside and out. She felt something… something that the others could never enjoy… happiness. She could feel the joy bursting through her and she wanted to dance again, to spread this feeling everywhere. _

_ She felt free again._

_ Days after… the other winter fairies found her dead in the snow, with a warmhearted smile on her face. They were disgusted, leaving the body in the snow and flying away like it never happened. They didn't know that the heavens took the girl's soul and spread it out across the stars, to be forever remembered as the girl who became happiness itself._

* * *

Sakura began her walk through the school, girls were going in all directions but most were heading in the same direction she was going, to the main entrance. She was glad the day was over; she got tired of the lectures, the painful history lessons, and the crazy art teacher trying to tell every student what art is. Mrs. Morris was old, mean, and very old fashion. She truly believed that every girl was a disgrace, and more disciplined was needed. She would repeat the same sentence over, and over again, "when I was your age, I would never act like such fools. Soon you will all be running around, acting like the devil has a hold of you!" She would scare anyone who came near her; the old hag would even scare some of the other teachers.

Sakura isn't even sure why she decided to take art in the first place. She wasn't artistic in any way, and besides, she preferred arts such as music. That's what she thought she was going to be getting into when she asked her mom if she could join the class, but she guessed they didn't have any music teachers at the school.

Sakura learned to play a little bit of the piano from her mother, but mostly she learned to play by herself. She wished for further tutoring on the instrument; however, her mother wouldn't let that happen. Apparently society didn't allow girls to play any musical instrument; the only way for a girl to express a song was by singing. Sakura couldn't sing, and besides, the only way to sing at school was by joining the school's choir. The church ran the school so the only songs the girls would be signing were those about heaven and every other story in the bible.

The walk home was easy; she could just run there and be there in less than fifteen minutes. Oh, that's right; running wasn't lady like at all. Sakura scoffed at the thought, she was always running with Ino, they would race each other to see who would get to the destination first.

Once she got outside from the building, she carried on walking home. She said goodbye to her friends, sharing a couple laughs from inside jokes, and even gasping at times when sharing rumors among each other. Sakura didn't gossip as much as the other girls, but she did join in for the jokes.

"Did you see Hinata today? The girl's so clumsy she slipped on her own feet," one of them said. Gretchen, a red-haired girl with thousands of freckles on her face, and her hair was always in pigtails, a pattern Sakura remembered since preschool.

"I heard that someone saw Hinata fake it," A brunet said.

"Fake it? She's a terrible actor then because she fell and got her uniform all soaked. What is she trying to get, attention?" A black-haired girl asked.

"Probably," someone giggled.

"No, I heard from a girl who was there that she fell flat on her back," another said. The girls were all giggling, except for Sakura who wasn't sure what to say. Gretchen saw this and smirked.

"Sakura, weren't you there? Karin told me that you pushed her," Gretchen told her.

Sakura rolled her eyes, "Karin is a liar, or have you forgotten that? Besides, Hinata just slipped, it could have happened to anyone."

"True. You stood up for Hinata, didn't you?" Gretchen asked, like Sakura was crazy. The tone in her voice made Sakura uneasy.

"You make it sounds like it's a bad thing," Sakura said, unsure where this was going.

The red-haired girl giggled, "Hinata is a freak show! Her family is so weird…"

"I heard this from my mom, apparently in the past they would kill off an heir so that another one would take its place. Dreadful and so inhumane, right?"

"Another rumor. I think she's just shy naturally, but that stutter of hers just makes her less approachable. She can't even answer a question in class."

"I so know what you mean!" A girl giggled.

Sakura was getting tired of the gossip already. She knew these girls talked behind her back as well, even their closest friends weren't safe from the harsh words that they spoke in whispers. It reminded Sakura of witches, they were beautiful on the outside, and then once they were revealed, their hideous features would show. With warts, yellow teeth, grey hair, and a hideous huge nose that could prick someone's skin.

Sakura slowly made her way from the group of giggling girls and found herself looking at the topic. Hinata was standing behind a tree, barely visible, but close enough to hear what the girls were saying.

…

_The girl became happiness itself, dancing through the heavens._

_ …_

"Hinata…. Come out of shadows where I can see you," Sakura said. The poor girl has tearstains that reflected in the light, cheeks pink and eyes puffy. Even her hair couldn't cover the sad gleam that showed in her eyes.

The girl shook her head fast and ran off like she did before earlier that day. Sakura tensed up… the girl did it again. Hinata ran off… never giving Sakura a chance of reason. The girls in the background continued to giggle among themselves… they were so caught up in lies they didn't see the little black hair girl run off.

…

_One pure, true heart broke that day._

* * *

It was cold, too cold for this time of the year and Sakura was curious on why. The leaves were still falling down, the birds were still migrating south for warmth, and the weather earlier was warm. Sakura pictured fairies behind this strange occurrence of bitter cold. Her mother did tell her that fairies did have a way with changing the weather how they wanted it to be.

"Sakura, are you going to be looking out that window for the rest of the evening, or will you do something more productive?" Elizabeth asked while she walked into the brightly lit room. The study is where Elizabeth always found her daughter, either reading or staring out a window lost in her thoughts. She found it unsettling for Sakura to be so strange. _It is just a phase; she will grow out of it I'm sure. Once she's older she will be more social and maybe find herself a boy. _She smiled a little at that.

"What else can I do? I read every book here more than twice and John is too old to play with me anymore. He's too busy with his new friends," was Sakura's only reply, not even glancing at her mother, she just continued to stare outside.

Elizabeth almost pouted, "Maybe this weekend you could invite Ino over. You always enjoy spending time with her, right? Besides, John is not only playing with his friends, but enjoying time with his father," she said, giving Sakura a hint at what she expected from her, "maybe it's about time that we done something together. You can't spend your days reading stories that aren't real, they settle for only some entertainment," she added and walked over to the walls of shelves, gliding her finger across the books, she looked at her finger. Dust. Now that won't do, she made a mental note to dust the room tomorrow. She wiped the gray substance on her skirt and turned back to her daughter who had not replied.  
"Books are all I need right now… You use to tell me tales all the time," Sakura pointed out.  
"Stories that I expected you to learn morals from not go looking for more. I enjoy the fact that you read, and you have grown smarter because of it, your teachers take pride in what you do in class. They think high of you. However, I don't think sitting her will help you… expand," Elizabeth explained. She almost crossed her fingers, just begging for her daughter to open her eyes. Sakura didn't even blink, she just mumbled something to herself and repeatedly ignored her mother.

"I also know that you enjoy music… I think that's very, uh, promising. No, that's not it. It's very, um, excellent…" Elizabeth stumbled over her words, cheeks burning red. She couldn't even figure out the words to say to her own daughter.

"I don't need to _expand, _my books do that for me," Sakura said, already grown tired of discussion.

Elizabeth sighed, "very well, Sakura… In a half hour, I would like you to wash up and go to bed." Elizabeth knew she wasn't getting anywhere and decided to let it go for tonight.

Sakura never replied back, and Elizabeth left the room, shutting the door quietly behind her.

Sakura was too caught up in her own thoughts then to care what her mother thought of her. She loved her books… they let her travel to different worlds. She loved the characters, especially the dashing heroes that saved the day.

However… her thoughts kept going back to Hinata…. Something was wrong, and it was eating away at her. She needed to find out, but… was it her right to go into other's secrets? What happens if Hinata doesn't want to share it with her? The girl ran away from her twice in the same day.

For some reason Hinata stood out to her, and it never occurred to her that something might be wrong with her. She never even looked at the quiet girl in the back. She didn't have a reason to socialize with her…. until now. Hinata acted strange.

She gave up… she was over thinking everything and it was causing her a small headache. She moved her fingers gently over her forehead and massaged the muscles there to ease the pain. She decided that she would rethink this later, besides… there was always tomorrow.

She gave one last glance at the window… seeing her reflection, and then looking deeper into the outside. The wind was almost howling, and the leaves were blowing away then she has ever seen this season.

_ Winter… those fairies are acting up again… _

She shook her head… fairies? Fairies didn't exist. Even if they did, why would they be here of all places?

Sakura giggled and got up. Before she left the room, she blew turned off the oil lamp, making the room dark and gloomy. She would continue to figure out what was wrong, but for now she needed to retire for the night. Besides, maybe this cold weather might bring some luck of a lot of snow this winter. More snow meant more fun outside and less school. She smiled at that.

…

The girl kept running… she couldn't breathe. Why couldn't she breathe? Why couldn't they just leave her alone?

She was pushed to the solid, cold ground. They pushing on her back and she couldn't fight back.

"Emotion… how disgraceful. You brought this down upon yourself."

The pain… the pain… it kept getting worst. She kept screaming but they continued to beat her. They wanted to break her.

"…Hinata?"

"Is she dead?"

"Stupid girl… dancing, only she would do such a thing…"

"Let's leave her be… she will learn from this."

…

Hinata shivered violently… the others caused the weather to turn cold, and it wasn't even snowing.

She then remembered the girl from earlier… the warm feeling she felt when the girl stood up for her, it was frightening, but also felt so good. She smiled a bit and picked her self up… she would continue her fight for freedom… even if it kills her.

…However…

Why does this feel so familiar?

…

_Winter is coming. The bitter cold of winter's breath will continue until springs awakening draws all the frost away._

* * *

_Chapter Three_

Sakura just couldn't believe it.

Her eyes widened a bit and she almost gaped.

When she got up this morning, she felt so warm and refreshed for some reason, and then once she looked outside… it was shocking.

Her door slammed open, the door handle bounced off the wall next to it and quickly closed again, but caused a loud sound to echo the room.

"Sakura! Sakura! Look at all the snow! Can you believe it?" John was almost squealing with delight, and he was jumping around, and grabbed her. "Snow! Right in the middle of autumn!" Sakura couldn't help but laugh with him and also smile at the delight of what she was looking at. Outside was like a winter wonderland. The snow was crisp white that shinned like diamonds. The sky was a light, grayish haze, and the trees were covered in icicles several inches long. Some of the colorful leaves were still stuck on the white branches, their orange and yellow colors not clashing well with the white, but stood out to make a beautiful picture. It was… breathtaking.

Sakura giggled at her little brother, "Yeah, I can hardly believe it."

John was laughing and jumping so much that he stumbled flat onto her bed, taking deep breaths only to laugh some more. "Do you think there will be school? I hope not!" He breathed out.

Sakura was about to answer when her door opened again. Her father was standing there with a smile on his face, "hey, you guys have to look at this!"

John got up from the bed and ran over to his father, "Dad! We get to play outside in the snow again!" John exclaimed happily.

Her father was panting and he looked like he just got up. His robe was not tied around his waist, and he had boots on so Sakura guessed he went outside to see the snow in person. He hadn't shaved and his hair wasn't brushed. He looked… so different! He was always so clean and neat in the morning.

Then her mother popped in as well with the same expression as her husband.

"Snow! I can't believe it!" She said in awe, joining Sakura by the window.

"Do we have to go to school?" John asked impatiently.

Elizabeth was speechless, "Well… I have no idea. Usually they would tell us if school would be out, but I don't know, we might have to check-"

Her husband, Richard interrupted her. "Liz, please. Let the kids stay; we can just tell them we were stuck inside the house all day. There's so much snow!"

Richard said and walked outside the room with Elizabeth going after him demanding what he meant.

"Come on Sakura! Lets go play in the snow!" John said and ran from the room as well. Sakura grabbed her boots from her closest and long red coat from the hanger, then running after her brother. She couldn't keep the grin from her face.

Who ever thought that it would snow?

Winter always seemed like the season for death… Sakura realized it was also the season for awakening.

She danced in the snow with her brother for hours that day. Her thoughts were happy and content with an almost bearing emotion of happiness.

_Thank you, fairies. _She whispered in her mind.

…

Hinata smiled at the happiness she saw from the families enjoying their day playing in the snow. She could feel their breaths of laughter, taste sunlight from the sky, and hear the giggling of children.

Snow. She had no idea it could bring this much joy to the world.

Where she came from, it brought people pain. The bitter cold wasn't something to look forward to back in her old town. That's where she was from... a strict, disciplinary family that would no doubt disown her if she didn't act like what she was suppose to. She failed another test yesterday... it made her father mad... so mad that he went so far as to beat her. She shook her head from those thoughts.

She was used to it.

She would get stronger.

She looked out the window again and watched the neighbors throw huge balls of snow at each other.

This moment was hers to watch.

Though… she knew someone was patiently waiting for something. Not for spring… not for the sun… but for someone. Everyone in her family could feel it, too, but since they left that world behind, they all agreed to ignore it.

Hinata felt an uncomfortable presence, but when she looked around, no one was there. A shiver went through her body even though she was perfectly warm by her standards.

_He's still watching us all… we abounded him… he's not letting us go that easily. _

* * *

**Wow… that took a while. Though, I enjoyed writing this one. Sorry that there wasn't a lot of prince in this chapter… I sort of mentioned him in the last part if you got that.**

** Anyway, I feel so bad taking such a long time with this chapter. I am actually just enjoying the summer too much and forgot that I also have summer homework… not fun.**

** Any questions, comments about the story? If so, please leave a review so I can answer it, or maybe I'll answer it in the next chapter. **

** Notes: I decided to let Sakura grow up fast because the pace of the story would be so slow if I continued to let her grow up little, by little. I wanted her to be more grown up because she thinks and acts a little too mature for this chapter I feel, but I tried to add dialogue where she still acted like a kid.**

**This chapter was based on Hinata... she's going to be a minor character in the future, but I wanted to add her in like this because it describes that the world is mixed in with the other world. We will call it that for now one. I actually hope to hear what you think of this. **

** Also, sorry for the short chapter three, I just didn't have too much to add to this. I wanted to end it with happiness, based on the little tale which if you noticed, is like Hinata.**

** Anyway, thanks for all the reviews last time, it means a lot to me, and I hope to read more what you think so far soon! **

** Thanks and see you next time! **


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